Another dairy farm worker in Michigan is testing positive for bird flu, making it the third human case in the U.S. this year.
Michigan confirmed its first human case of bird flu last week amid a multi-state outbreak of the virus in poultry and dairy herds.
The country’s first case was reported in Texas in March.
State health officials say the most recent case occurred in a farmworker who had been working closely with an infected cow before developing symptoms.
“This individual had respiratory symptoms and is recovering, which is a very positive sign. This individual did receive Tamiflu,” Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian told WKAR.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has not confirmed the specific location of the state’s two infections but did say the farm workers were employed at two different facilities.
Bagdasarian said the state’s first case of bird flu resulted from “a direct splash of milk from an infected cow directly into the eye.” The farm worker subsequently displayed symptoms of an eye infection.
“What we are seeing is that these are individuals who have direct, close contact with infected animals,” said Bagdasarian. “It really shows us that personal protective equipment is helpful in keeping individuals working on dairy and poultry farms safe.”
Bagdasarian said the state health department is monitoring symptoms and testing workers at affected cattle and poultry farms.
According to the U.S. Agriculture Department, 66 dairy cattle herds in nine states have confirmed cases of the H5N1 virus responsible for bird flu.
In Michigan, nearly seven million livestock have been affected by the virus. State food and agricultural regulators say they are responding with a “one-health approach.”
"Proper use of personal protective equipment is the best tool we have to protect farm workers,” said Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Tim Boring in a statement. “MDARD is currently offering assistance to dairy farms in need of additional protective equipment. MDARD has and will continue to take bold actions to assist farms impacted by this disease."
Neither individual who tested positive for the bird flu in Michigan was wearing a mask before developing symptoms, according to state health officials.
Bird flu cases concern farmworkers and labor advocates
Some migrant farmworkers in Michigan have voiced concerns to labor advocacy groups about the lack of personal protection equipment available at sites. Many worry that they will not be able to access paid sick leave if they are infected with bird flu.
“We’re hearing the need for these kinds of protections, anxiety over being able to take work off and lose pay if they are exposed to the bird flu and face health complications,” said Diego Iñiguez-López, the government affairs director for the United Farmworkers Foundation.
According to migrant worker advocates, housing provided for farmworkers at dairy facilities, which operate throughout the year, are not inspected with the same frequency as the housing for seasonal field workers. They argue the discrepancy poses challenges in ensuring the provision of personal protective equipment to those most at risk for bird flu.
“That makes their housing difficult to find and the workers even harder to access,” said Christine Sauve, spokesperson for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “We have been urging legislators to require more oversight for dairy workers housing.”
According to the state and federal government, farmers are required to provide personal protective equipment to those working directly with infected poultry and cattle.
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